Introduction

John 1:29-34
In our previous study, we saw the fall of man and its consequences. The greatest consequence of a life of sin is eternal damnation. God is holy; He is eternally opposed to sin. As God cannot have fellowship with the sinner on earth, so is the sinner eternally banned from His presence in heaven. It is therefore of necessity that a solution must be found for the problem of sin. From the very onset of man's fall, sacrifice for sin commenced. God clothed Adam and Eve with clothes of skin, indicating the need to shed blood before sin could be covered (Gen. 3:21). Cain's offering was rejected for lack of blood, while Abel's was accepted because blood was shed (Gen. 4:3-5). A sacrifice would be strange if it had no blood content (Gen. 22:7,8,12-14).
The blood of the lamb was the token of God's covenant with and redemption of Israel (Exodus 12:3-13). The entire Old Testament redemption scheme was based on blood (Exodus 29:38-46; Leviticus 4:32-35; 5:5,6). The New Testament is also based on blood – the blood of Jesus (Matthew 26:26-28; Heb. 9:22). Man is never able to reform himself sufficiently to merit God's acceptance; we cannot be saved by human effort. Pardon must come from God, and it is conditioned faith in the appointed sacrifice – blood (Leviticus 17:11; Heb. 9:22).

SUB TOPICS:

1. Human Remedy to The Sin Problem
2. Atonement In the Old Testament
3. Christ: The Perfect Sacrifice for Sin

1. HUMAN REMEDY TO THE SIN PROBLEM

   Since the fall, man has always invented methods to cover his sin or explain it away. These methods include self-righteousness, hiding, excuse making (Gen. 3:7-13), denial (Gen. 4:8,9), covering scheme (Exodus 2:11-15; II Samuel 11:1-17, 27), idol worship (Acts 14:8-13Jeremiah 44:15-19), etc. Moreover, there are many man-made ways through which many people hope to reach God. These include:

   1. Commandment keeping (Rom. 3:28; Galatians 2:16; 3:21; James 2:10,11). God‟s commandments are good and they are for keeping. However, the mere keeping of the commandments has no power to save. The law is our schoolmaster to point us to Christ. The law shows us our transgressions, condemns us as guilty and worthy of punishment but directs to Christ who only can save from the power and penalty of sin.
   2. Moral living (Psalm 51:5; Job 14:4; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10-23; John 1:45-50; Acts 10:1-44). The moral living of today will not compensate for the sins of yesterday as well as the inherited nature of sin. All self-righteousness and morality are like filthy rags when examined under God's microscope. Moral living has never and will never save anybody.
   3. Religious observances (I Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-7; Luke 5:30-33; I Corinthians 1:11-17; John 3:1-8; 4:19-26; Acts 10:1-10; 16:16-20). Many try to rigidly keep some religious codes of conduct with the hope that God will be pleased. Confirmation, water baptism, eating the Lord's Supper, doing the work of the “kingdom”, Sabbath keeping, refraining from certain kinds of food, regular praying and fasting, praying five times a day, going on a pilgrimage to holy land, going to places of worship barefooted, bathing with “holy water”, church membership, etc. These are all dead works of religion. They can never save any man from sin.
   4. Good works (I Corinthians 13:3; Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:37; I John 5:2; Luke 16:15). Good works are only good when God declares them to be so. What is good in the sight of man may be very evil in the sight of God (Luke 16:15). Many so-called “good” works are done to silence the conscience, to soothe the pain of guilt, to bury our wrongdoing and to justify oneself before God. God is not fooled by such “good” works.
   5. Heredity (Ezekiel 18:4; John 8:39-44; Leviticus 5:1-17). Being born into a Christian home, having Christian parents and good religious upbringing does not make a person acceptable to God. God has no grand children. Every man will bear his iniquity. You are personally accountable to God.

   From the case of David and Bathsheba in Psalm 51:1-12, we note the following about the sinner‟s proper disposition to God and to his sin:

   1. Every attempt of David to cover his sin did not prosper; it only led him deeper into sin (Proverbs 28:13). This is a wrong disposition.
   2. David eventually pleaded for mercy when his sin was discovered. To plead for mercy indicates the need for propitiation – the turning away of God's wrath from the sinner.
   3. He asked for the removal of his sins from Go's sight and divine washing. That points to the need for expiation. Sin has a polluting influence on the sinner. Expiation is the divine act of covering sin and cleansing the sinner's heart for a renewed walk with God.
   4. He made a specific confession – “this evil.” Sin must be viewed as evil. The attitude in genuine confession is that of sincerity. God desires the truth in the inward part. He requires a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Confession of sin must be honest and specific.
   5. He prayed for purging with hyssop, typifying the need for blood. Confession of sin is mandatory. But David knew that confession alone could not save him; he needed cleansing by blood (Exodus 12:22; Leviticus 14:4-6, 49-53; Num. 19:1-9; 16-21; Heb. 9:18-20).
   
   

   David felt the guilt; that is why he asked for forgiveness. Sin is primarily against God. So, it is only He who has the power to forgive sin. And guilt is the right feeling for sin, just like pain or inconvenience is felt in sickness. As the sick seek the physician, so should every sinner seek God for cleansing and justification. As David could not cleanse himself but asked God for cleansing and a renewed spirit, so should every sinner look to God for salvation and purity today (Isaiah 45:22).



2. ATONEMENT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

   Atonement (literally “at-one-ment”) means to cover sin in order that man may appear before God. The atonement of the Old Testament was performed on the “Day of Atonement” (Leviticus 16:1-34; 23:26-32). Although there were many sacrifices and offerings for the atonement of sins, the offering of the Day of Atonement represented the highest and most comprehensive atonement that was possible under the Old Testament. There are four major elements in the Old Testament atonement – the Substitute, the Sin-bearer, the Sacrifice and the Suppliant. The Old Testament substitute had a double function: to take the place of the condemned sinner and to be offered as sacrifice to procure remission of sin. God would forgive sin based on the execution of His justice on the substitute, otherwise, the sinner must perish (Leviticus 17:11; Heb. 9:22). The carcass of the substitute must be burnt wholly outside the camp to effect the release of the sinner (Leviticus 16:8,9,15,16,25,27; 23:27). The sin-bearer, or the scapegoat, was designated to carry the sins of the people away. The sins of the whole nation must be confessed on this scapegoat. Afterwards, the scapegoat was sent into the wilderness, bearing the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:7-10, 20-22; Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 53:5,6,12). The high priest was the suppliant. He served as mediator between Israel and God. Israel needed a mediator who would present the blood of the atonement before God to receive forgiveness for the people at the most holy place (Leviticus 16:7-9, 15,16, 20-22; 10:17; Exodus 30:10; 28:29,30).
   
   The Old Testament scheme, elaborate as it was, was not perfect. It was a temporary solution – a type of the New Testament atonement based on better promises. It was imposed on them till the time of reformation. It was a shadow. In Christ, we have the reality (Heb. 9:7-10; 10:1-9; Galatians 2:15,16; Rom. 3:19,20; 8:1-4).



3. CHRIST: THE PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR SIN

   The Old Testament foreshadowed God‟s ultimate solution to the sin problem. In Christ, we have the fulfilment. The story of the fall of man did not end hopelessly: God gave the promise that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). That was the very first messianic prophecy. Jesus fulfilled it in detail. All elements of the Old Testament atonement are perfectly fulfilled in Christ. He is our Substitute (Gen. 22:7-14; Matthew 20:28; John 10:11; Rom. 5:6-8; I Pet. 3:18). He offered His life in our place, tasted death for us and gave His life a ransom for us. He equally performed the function of the Sacrifice. He shed His blood on the cross to reconcile us to God. He is our propitiation. He offered one sacrifice for sin forever, thereby having no need of repetition as in the Levitical sacrifices (I Pet. 1:18-21; Acts 20:28; John 19:30; Heb. 13:11,12,20,21; I John 2:1,2; Heb. 10:11,12). Christ is also our Sin-bearer (Heb. 9:27,28). Just like the scapegoat in the Old Testament, our sins were laid on Jesus. He has been made a curse and sin for us and manifested to take away our sins (II Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:5,6,12; John 1:29; Galatians 3:13; I Pet. 2:24; I John 3:5). Lastly, Jesus is our Suppliant. He is the true Mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5; Heb. 12:24). Unlike the Old Testament high priest, who had to offer for himself and for the sins of others, Jesus is the sinless, perfect Mediator (Heb. 9:7,11,12,15). Jesus entered not into an earthly tabernacle, but into heaven itself to obtain eternal redemption for us. He went with His own blood into the very presence of God to make supplication for us (Heb. 10:19-22; 9:24-26; 8:6; 7:22-28).
   
   Christ is the perfect Sacrifice for sin. There is no other name or solution whereby we must be saved. As many guilty souls as look sincerely unto Him shall obtain pardon and cleansing from sin (Acts 4:13; Rom. 10:10-13). Are you one of them? Then look to Jesus and live (John 3:14-16).